The present invention pertains to processes for making garments, and more particularly to processes for making refastenable garments.
Refastenable garments can include disposable absorbent garments such as diapers, training pants, absorbent swimpants, feminine care products, and incontinence products. The typical disposable absorbent garment is formed as a composite structure including an absorbent assembly disposed between a liquid permeable bodyside liner and a liquid impermeable outer cover. These components can be combined with other materials and features such as elastic materials and containment structures to form a product that is specifically suited to its intended purposes.
What is lacking and needed in the art are improved processes for making refastenable garments.
In response to the above-referenced unfulfilled need in the art, new processes for making refastenable garments have been discovered. In one aspect, the present invention relates to a process for making prefastened and refastenable pants including the steps of: providing a plurality of discrete articles, each article having first and second waist regions, a crotch region interconnecting the waist regions, first fastening components disposed in the first waist region and separated from one another by an initial distance, and second fastening components disposed in the second waist region and adapted to refastenably engage the first fastening components; transversely displacing the first fastening components so that the first fastening components are separated from one another by a post displacement distance not equal to the initial distance; and engaging the first and second fastening components subsequent to transversely displacing the first fastening components.
The first waist region can be modified to position the first fastening components closer together, that is, the post displacement distance can be less than the initial distance. The first waist region can be modified by a wide variety of methods in order to transversely displace the fastening components closer together, including but not limited to: gathering; scrunching; folding; pleating; corrugating; wrinkling; contracting; necking; contouring or shaping, such as by bowing, elevating or otherwise separating portions of the first waist region; or the like, and combinations thereof.
In one particular embodiment, the fastening components can be positioned closer together by gathering together portions of the first waist region that are disposed between the fastening components. Such gathering functions to move the fastening components closer together. The side panels can be gathered, for example, in a channel or around a bar, rod, tube, plate or the like, all of which may be uniformly shaped or contoured. Various devices can be used to gather or scrunch waist region components together to establish a modified transverse linear distance, including: a vacuum device; contoured drum; contoured roll; pressurized air nozzles; converging conveyors or chains; vertical vacuum belts; cam systems; or the like, and combinations thereof. Such devices generally modify the contour of the pant as viewed in transverse section.
The portions to be gathered can include: the absorbent chassis; the side panels, whether integral portions of the absorbent chassis or separate elements bonded to the absorbent chassis; and portions of the fastening components themselves. For example, the side panels of one waist region can be adapted to function as fastening components by refastenably engaging one or more mating fastening components disposed on the opposite waist region. Transversely inward portions of the side panels can be gathered so that transversely outward portions of the side panels are closer together.
In related embodiments, the fastening components can be positioned closer together by creating an elevation difference between portions of the first waist region containing the fastening components and another portion of the first waist region. By way of illustration, the fastening components can be disposed in the side panels, and the absorbent chassis and/or side panels can be repositioned to create an elevation difference between at least a portion of the absorbent chassis and the side panels. Creation of this elevation difference can draw the fastening components closer together in the transverse direction. The elevation difference can be created by any mechanism to displace a portion of the waist region, including a contoured roll, contoured drum, a multi-path conveyor, guiding surfaces, fluid positioning devices, or the like. Particular devices for creating an elevation distance causing fastening components to move closer together are disclosed in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/858,071, filed on May 15, 2001 by B. R. Vogt et al. and titled xe2x80x9cGarment Side Panel Conveyor System And Methodxe2x80x9d; and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/855,450, filed on May 15, 2001 by D. A. Maxton et al. and titled xe2x80x9cRefastenable Bonding Of Garment Side Panelsxe2x80x9d; which applications are incorporated herein by reference.
In still other embodiments, the fastening components can be positioned closer together by contracting the first waist region. The pant can comprise, for example, an activatable retractive material that is adapted to contract in a direction parallel to the transverse axis of the pant upon activation. Suitable activation methods can include without limitation any means of applying energy to the retractive material, such as heating, electromagnetic radiation such as ultraviolet, infrared, microwave, or gamma radiation; chemical modification; compaction or compression of the retractive material; or the like. Latent activation, such as inducing stretch in a material prior to applying the material to the garment and allowing the material to naturally retract over time, can also be used to transversely contract the waist region. The front and back waist regions can be constructed to contract to the same or different degrees. One waist region can be adapted to contract more than the other waist region by employing different amounts or types of materials.
The retractive material can comprise any material adapted to retract upon activation, whether immediately upon activation or subsequently thereto. The retractive material can comprise elastomeric or nonelastomeric materials. Suitable nonelastomeric retractive materials can comprise without limitation oriented films, or the like, and laminates thereof. Suitable elastomeric retractive materials can comprise without limitation LYCRA(copyright) materials, elastomeric materials including latex rubber or synthetic urethanes, or the like, and laminates thereof. In particular embodiments, the retractive material can comprise an elastomeric material having an unstable state relative to some other stable and elastic state. In such embodiments, the retractive material can but need not have elastomeric properties in the unstable state.
The first waist region can alternatively be modified to position the first fastening components farther apart, that is, the post displacement distance can be greater than the initial distance. A variety of methods can be used to transversely displace the fastening components of the first waist region farther apart, including but not limited to: altering the structure of a material; stretching a material; or the like, and combinations thereof. Various devices can be used to move the fastening components further apart, such as: a tenter frame or similar device to grab and transversely pull the first waist region; diverging conveyors such as angled vacuum conveyors; angled nip rolls; or the like, and combinations thereof.
The disclosed process can provide an efficient method of manufacturing pants with fastening components disposed on opposite surfaces. For example, in one embodiment, the present invention relates to a process for making prefastened and refastenable pants including the steps of: providing a plurality of discrete articles, each article having first and second waist regions, a crotch region interconnecting the waist regions, opposite first and second major surfaces, opposite side panels in each of the waist regions, first fastening components disposed on the first surface of the side panels in the first waist region and second fastening components disposed on the second surface of the side panels in the second waist region, the first fastening components being separated from one another by an initial distance, and the first and second fastening components adapted to refastenably engage one another; modifying the side panels in the second waist region to invert the second fastening components, the second fastening components after modification being spaced apart by a post inversion distance; transversely displacing the first fastening components so that the first fastening components are separated from one another by a post displacement distance not equal to the initial distance and substantially equal to the post inversion distance; and engaging the first and second fastening components subsequent to transversely displacing the first fastening components and inverting the second fastening components.
In particular embodiments, the first fastening components and the second fastening components can be separated from one another by substantially the same initial distance. For properly aligning the fastening components for engagement, the post displacement distance of one pair of fastening components can be substantially equal to the post inversion distance of the other pair of fastening components, whereupon the fastening components will be aligned with one another in the transverse dimension for easy engagement. In other embodiments, the initial distance between the first fastening components need not be the same as the initial distance between the second fastening components. As used herein, the terms xe2x80x9cinitial distance,xe2x80x9d xe2x80x9cpost displacement distancexe2x80x9d and xe2x80x9cpost inversion distancexe2x80x9d all refer to the transverse linear distance between two fastening components. The xe2x80x9cinitialxe2x80x9d and xe2x80x9cpostxe2x80x9d distances are measured before and after, respectively, the specified displacement or inversion. xe2x80x9cTransverse linear distancexe2x80x9d is used herein to refer to the distance between two fastening components, measured in a straight line parallel to the transverse axis of the garment without regard to surface contours of the garment. There may or may not be any force exerted in the transverse direction at the time of measurement.
The term xe2x80x9ctransversely displacingxe2x80x9d as used herein refers to changing the transverse linear distance between two fastening components without inverting, that is flipping, the fastening components. Thus, modifying a waist region to change an initially-inward facing fastener to an outward direction or change an initially outward-facing fastener to an inward direction does not alone constitute transversely displacing the fastener, as that term is used herein.
Changing the transverse distance between fastening components can be useful in making a wide variety of garments. The waist regions can have the same transverse width dimensions or have different widths. Moreover, the fastening components in either waist region or in both waist regions can be transversely displaced. Accordingly, the term xe2x80x9cfirst waist regionxe2x80x9d can correspond to either the front or the back waist region. Further, the fastening components in either waist region can be inverted, and in particular embodiments the fastening components in one waist region can be both transversely displaced and inverted.
The garment can be folded in half through the crotch region by a variety of mechanisms. Folding can occur before, during and/or after modification of the a waist region and/or transverse displacement of the fastening components in that waist region. Similarly, the second waist region can be modified, folded or otherwise repositioned before, during and/or after modification and/or transverse displacement of the first waist region. It may be desirable to maintain separation of the side panels and separation of the fastening components while the product is folded in half. The fastening components can be engaged simultaneously or sequentially with folding of the pant.
The fastening components can comprise separate elements bonded to another component of the pant. Alternatively, the fastening components can comprise a portion of another element of the pant, such as the bodyside liner, the outer cover, separate side panels if employed, integral side panels if employed, a belt-type component extending transversely across the chassis if employed, or the like. Thus, unless otherwise specified, the term xe2x80x9cfastening componentxe2x80x9d includes both separate components which function as fasteners and regions of materials such as side panels, liners, outer covers or the like which function as fasteners. Moreover, a single material can define multiple fastening components to the extent that different regions of the material function as separate fasteners. The fastening components can be located on the side panels, between the side panels such as on the absorbent chassis, or a combination of the two. The fastening components can have any desired shape, such as square, rectangular, round, curved, oval, irregularly shaped, or the like. Each fastening component can comprise a single fastening element or multiple fastening elements.
The fastening components can comprise any refastenable fasteners suitable for absorbent articles, such as adhesive fasteners, cohesive fasteners, mechanical fasteners, or the like. In particular embodiments the fastening components comprise mechanical fastening elements for improved performance. Suitable mechanical fastening elements can be provided by interlocking geometric shaped materials, such as hooks, loops, bulbs, mushrooms, arrowheads, balls on stems, male and female mating components, buckles, snaps, or the like. In particular embodiments, the fastening components and mating fastening components comprise hook-and-loop fastening elements. One skilled in the art will recognize that the shape, density and polymer composition of the hooks and loops may be selected to obtain the desired level of securement between the fastening components and the mating fastening components. A more aggressive hook material may comprise a material with a greater average hook height, a greater percentage of directionally-aligned hooks, or a more aggressive hook shape.
A refastenable fastening system allows for easy inspection of the interior of the pant-like product. If necessary, the fastening system also allows the pant to be removed quickly and easily. This is particularly beneficial when the pant contains messy excrement. For training pants, the caregiver can completely remove the pant-like product and replace it with a new one without having to remove the child""s shoes and clothing. The refastenable fastening system may be used with a wide variety of absorbent and non-absorbent products, including training pants, swim pants, diaper pants, incontinence garments, feminine care products, health care garments, apparel for institutional, industrial and consumer use, or other garments using mechanical or adhesive fasteners.
Absorbent articles are adapted to be worn adjacent to the body of a wearer to absorb and contain various exudates discharged from the body. The absorbent articles are desirably prefastened to provide a pant-like product for the user. The product can then be pulled on like a conventional training pant, and subsequently checked or removed with the ease of a diaper-like product. Moreover, the product may be applied like a diaper rather than like a pant. Supplemental releasable fastening means such as frangible point bonds may be employed to maintain the absorbent article in a pant configuration until the user intentionally disengages the fasteners.
Particular training pants suitable for use with the present invention are disclosed in U. S. patent application Ser. No. 09/444,083, filed on Nov. 22, 1999 (corresponding to PCT application WO 00/37009 published Jun. 29, 2000) by A. Fletcher et al. and titled xe2x80x9cAbsorbent Articles With Refastenable Side Seams;xe2x80x9d which is incorporated herein by reference. This reference describes various materials and methods for constructing training pants. Training pants can also be constructed using the methods and apparatus disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,940,464 issued Jul. 10, 1990 to Van Gompel et al.; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,766,389 issued Jun. 16, 1998 to Brandon et al.; which are also incorporated herein by reference.
Within the context of this specification, each term or phrase below will include the following meaning or meanings.
xe2x80x9cBondedxe2x80x9d refers to the joining, adhering, connecting, attaching, or the like, of two elements. Two elements will be considered to be bonded together when they are bonded directly to one another or indirectly to one another, such as when each is directly bonded to intermediate elements.
xe2x80x9cComprisingxe2x80x9d is inclusive or open-ended and does not exclude additional, unrecited elements or method steps.
xe2x80x9cConnectedxe2x80x9d refers to the joining, adhering, bonding, attaching, or the like, of two elements. Two elements will be considered to be connected together when they are connected directly to one another or indirectly to one another, such as when each is directly connected to intermediate elements.
xe2x80x9cDisposablexe2x80x9d refers to articles which are designed to be discarded after a limited use rather than being laundered or otherwise restored for reuse.
xe2x80x9cDisposed,xe2x80x9d xe2x80x9cdisposed on,xe2x80x9d and variations thereof are intended to mean that one element can be integral with another element, or that one element can be a separate structure bonded to or placed with or placed near another element.
xe2x80x9cElastic,xe2x80x9d xe2x80x9celasticizedxe2x80x9d and xe2x80x9celasticityxe2x80x9d mean that property of a material or composite by virtue of which it tends to recover its original size and shape after removal of a force causing a deformation.
xe2x80x9cElastomericxe2x80x9d refers to a material or composite which can be elongated by at least 25 percent of its relaxed length and which will recover, upon release of the applied force, at least 10 percent of its elongation. It is generally preferred that the elastomeric material or composite be capable of being elongated by at least 100 percent, more preferably by at least 300 percent, of its relaxed length and recover, upon release of an applied force, at least 50 percent of its elongation.
xe2x80x9cFabricsxe2x80x9d is used to refer to all of the woven, knitted and nonwoven fibrous webs.
xe2x80x9cFlexiblexe2x80x9d refers to materials which are compliant and which will readily conform to the general shape and contours of the wearer""s body.
xe2x80x9cForcexe2x80x9d includes a physical influence exerted by one body on another which produces acceleration of bodies that are free to move and deformation of bodies that are not free to move. Force is expressed in grams per unit area.
xe2x80x9cGraphicxe2x80x9d refers to any design, pattern, or the like that is visible on an absorbent article.
xe2x80x9cHydrophilicxe2x80x9d describes fibers or the surfaces of fibers which are wetted by the aqueous liquids in contact with the fibers. The degree of wetting of the materials can, in turn, be described in terms of the contact angles and the surface tensions of the liquids and materials involved. Equipment and techniques suitable for measuring the wettability of particular fiber materials or blends of fiber materials can be provided by a Cahn SFA-222 Surface Force Analyzer System, or a substantially equivalent system. When measured with this system, fibers having contact angles less than 90xc2x0 are designated xe2x80x9cwettablexe2x80x9d or hydrophilic, while fibers having contact angles greater than 90xc2x0 are designated xe2x80x9cnonwettablexe2x80x9d or hydrophobic.
xe2x80x9cIntegralxe2x80x9d is used to refer to various portions of a single unitary element rather than separate structures bonded to or placed with or placed near one another.
xe2x80x9cInwardxe2x80x9d and xe2x80x9coutwardxe2x80x9d refer to positions relative to the center of an absorbent article, and particularly transversely and/or longitudinally closer to or away from the longitudinal and transverse center of the absorbent article.
xe2x80x9cLayerxe2x80x9d when used in the singular can have the dual meaning of a single element or a plurality of elements.
xe2x80x9cLiquid impermeablexe2x80x9d, when used in describing a layer or multi-layer laminate, means that a liquid, such as urine, will not pass through the layer or laminate, under ordinary use conditions, in a direction generally perpendicular to the plane of the layer or laminate at the point of liquid contact. Liquid, or urine, may spread or be transported parallel to the plane of the liquid impermeable layer or laminate, but this is not considered to be within the meaning of xe2x80x9cliquid impermeablexe2x80x9d when used herein.
xe2x80x9cLongitudinalxe2x80x9d and xe2x80x9ctransversexe2x80x9d have their customary meaning. The longitudinal axis lies in the plane of the article and is generally parallel to a vertical plane that bisects a standing wearer into left and right body halves when the article is worn. The transverse axis lies in the plane of the article generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis. The article as illustrated is longer in the longitudinal direction than in the transverse direction.
xe2x80x9cMemberxe2x80x9d when used in the singular can have the dual meaning of a single element or a plurality of elements.
xe2x80x9cNonwovenxe2x80x9d and xe2x80x9cnonwoven webxe2x80x9d refer to materials and webs of material which are formed without the aid of a textile weaving or knitting process.
xe2x80x9cOperatively joined,xe2x80x9d with reference to the attachment of an elastic member to another element, means that the elastic member when attached to or connected to the element, or treated with heat or chemicals, by stretching, or the like, gives the element elastic properties; and with reference to the attachment of a non-elastic member to another element, means that the member and element can be attached in any suitable manner that permits or allows them to perform the intended or described function of the joinder. The joining, attaching, connecting or the like can be either directly, such as joining either member directly to an element, or can be indirectly by means of another member disposed between the first member and the first element.
xe2x80x9cOuter cover graphicxe2x80x9d refers to a graphic that is directly visible upon inspection of the exterior surface of a garment, and for a refastenable garment is in reference to inspection of the exterior surface of the garment when the fastening system is engaged as it would be during use.
xe2x80x9cPermanently bondedxe2x80x9d refers to the joining, adhering, connecting, attaching, or the like, of two elements of an absorbent garment such that the elements tend to be and remain bonded during normal use conditions of the absorbent garment.
xe2x80x9cRefastenablexe2x80x9d refers to the property of two elements being capable of releasable attachment, separation, and subsequent releasable reattachment without substantial permanent deformation or rupture.
xe2x80x9cReleasably attached,xe2x80x9d xe2x80x9creleasably engagedxe2x80x9d and variations thereof refer to two elements being connected or connectable such that the elements tend to remain connected absent a separation force applied to one or both of the elements, and the elements being capable of separation without substantial permanent deformation or rupture. The required separation force is typically beyond that encountered while wearing the absorbent garment.
xe2x80x9cRupturexe2x80x9d means the breaking or tearing apart of a material; in tensile testing, the term refers to the total separation of a material into two parts either all at once or in stages, or the development of a hole in some materials.
xe2x80x9cStretch bondedxe2x80x9d refers to an elastic member being bonded to another member while the elastic member is extended at least about 25 percent of its relaxed length. Desirably, the term xe2x80x9cstretch bondedxe2x80x9d refers to the situation wherein the elastic member is extended at least about 100 percent, and more desirably at least about 300 percent, of its relaxed length when it is bonded to the other member.
xe2x80x9cStretch bonded laminatexe2x80x9d refers to a composite material having at least two layers in which one layer is a gatherable layer and the other layer is an elastic layer. The layers are joined together when the elastic layer is in an extended condition so that upon relaxing the layers, the gatherable layer is gathered.
xe2x80x9cSurfacexe2x80x9d includes any layer, film, woven, nonwoven, laminate, composite, or the like, whether pervious or impervious to air, gas, and/or liquids.
xe2x80x9cTensionxe2x80x9d includes a uniaxial force tending to cause the extension of a body or the balancing force within that body resisting the extension.
xe2x80x9cThermoplasticxe2x80x9d describes a material that softens when exposed to heat and which substantially returns to a nonsoftened condition when cooled to room temperature.
These terms may be defined with additional language in the remaining portions of the specification.